Auctiva Emporium: gizmo32320

It makes sense to salvage items from ships if at all possible. Why one may ask? At Temeraire Antiques we pride ourselves in reclaiming marine and scientific items. For example these portholes were made to withstand all the elements nature would throw at them. So when a ship is scrapped the portholes are carefully removed, cleaned and serviced. Better than putting into the melting pot. Now they will give many more years of service but this time in the home. They are now polished, fitted with mirrors and an electric clock. In addition all have a certificate of authenticity which gives the provenance of these interesting historical items. To own one of these is a quality investment.

I realise that Ebay have a policy to exclude Ivory in items to be listed on Ebay except for a very few stated items in their policy. My entry of A Dieppe Bone Chiffonier was removed from my listings even though the word "Mutton Bone" was used in my description. I contested the removal and a semi apology was sent but I was advised to use the words bovine bone,and sheep bone. This is becoming very pedantic. Lets try to understand the word mutton its very English and recognised by most people who understand the English language. Mutton is the flesh of sheep so mutton bone is the bone of sheep not a cow of any form nor an elephant!!!

As a hobby I collect marine and scientific antiques. My name is Adam and for a few years eBay has been a great help in enabling me to buy and sell various eclectic items under the eBay members name of gizmo32320. Recently when visiting Dartmouth, Devon, the home of the Royal Navy Officer Training School; I found in an antique shop hidden away behind a window an interesting piece of furniture, I knew instantly what it was even though it was in a very unloved condition. I could even hear it pleading with me saying "buy me and love me". My heart went out to it like some of us who see the pleading eyes of a puppy dog behind the bars of a dogs home. What was this exciting and interesting piece of furniture? It was a ships sideboard/buffet. How did I know that so instantly? All quality ships furniture will have at least one of the following: Gimballed movement to prevent table tops and lamps from tilting when the ship rolls, brass or steel straps to hold furniture in place in choppy seas and steel sprung ball bearings fitted at the bottom of drawers and cupboards to prevent the furniture from ejecting items across the deck. Also a "fiddle rail" in wood or brass which is to prevent cutlery etc from sliding of tables and other furniture. On this particular sideboard I could see the "fiddle rail" which was of brass tubular form mounted to the sideboard top. And on closer inspection I found the position where the metal plates were located for restraining the furniture and preventing cupboards from bursting open. Plus many other features which in my mind indicated it was from a ship of Royal Navy origin. This was then confirmed by the young lady in the shop who was looking after the business whilst her partner was away. But what really shook me was when I was told it was from one of our most famous Battle Cruisers of the Second World War, HMS Renown (1916). Well of course I had to buy this historical piece of furniture, restore it and search for the provinance. Every piece of furniture made for the Royal Navy carries a numerical number stamp, impressed into the wood. This represents the draughtsmans drawing numbers. The sideboard had the following numbers 590 and 591 which identified it with other furniture from HMS Renown. But the numbers were not the only clues to the provinance. There was the usual sploges of "battle ship grey paint", abundant detailed pencil writings indicating the various drawer positions plus coded numbers. And above all the quality of brass and wood which gives a pleasure to view and handle which can only be created by the high degree of excellence inspired by a craftsman. The sideboard although intended for use by the ships officers on HMS Renown was also probably handled by Edward, Prince of Wales who used the Battle Cruiser as a Royal Yacht between the wars and perhaps Sir Winston Churchill as well as King George V1 who were on board the HMS Renown at different periods for diplomatic purposes. Very sadly my little cottage does not have the space to hold this sideboard so I am now offering the item as a BUY NOW on my eBay ID..gizmo32320 As a sympathetically restored and loved piece of furniture, the only new piece is the brass engraved history plate; unfortunately somebody had removed the orignal leaving a large blank space to the top of the sideboard.Listed on Ebay as Item number: 260795744440